Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Getting More Face Time

Posted by michael on from the face-the-music dept.

ApharmdB writes "The BBC has a story about the possibility of performing face transplants within the year. Obviously, people are worried about the ethical ramifications, but would someone with your transplanted face actually look like you? Either way, everyone better be careful, or Nicolas Cage may try to steal their family."

10 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. How long before... by CommieLib · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The insurance claims start rolling in for the "facially challenged"...

    Seriously though. This seems to take plastic surgery to an entirely new level. If my old face was destroyed in an accident, I might think for a few moments about getting Mel Gibson's face as a bolt-on.

    Of course, without quite a few hours on the treadmill it's not exactly going to have the desired effect, but doesn't this open up a Pandora's Box for copyright issues...

    --
    If your bitterest enemies are people who hack the heads off civilians, then I would say you're doing something right.
  2. Rejection by redfiche · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I have to think it would be pretty ugly if the recipient rejected the transplant. If that happened, what could be done? With what remained of your original face gone, you'd be left with a collection of grafts and prostheses. I wouldn't take that chance. I certainly wouldn't take the chance for aesthetic reasons.

    --

    Brevity is the soul of wit

    -- Polonius

    1. Re:Rejection by GT_Alias · · Score: 3, Insightful
      That's what I was thinking. The article stated:

      At the same time, the recipient would have to have their face, facial muscles, skin and subcutaneous fat removed.

      So you're basically left with bone. And if that new face doesn't quite settle in? Man, wouldn't that be gross? You'd be like Skeletor.

  3. You'd still look mostly like you. by arloguthrie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's not as much about the skin, fat, and muscle on your face as much as it is how the bones shape the face. The size of your nose comes from that piece of cartilidge. Cheekbones, size of head, location and depth of eyes, jawline, and smile have nothing to do with what this doctor is talking about transplanting. The only unethical problem would be giving face transplants so you can look like someone else, and I'm sure some Columbian drug cartel's retained plastic surgeon can already pull that off. I don't think this is anything to worry about...yet.

    --
    ----------
    Cheese it! It's the FEDS!
    1. Re:You'd still look mostly like you. by redfiche · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The article did mention bone as part of what would be transplanted. Chances are if your face is destroyed, the bone is destroyed with it. IMO the recipient of a transplant would look neither like the donor nor his old self, but something in between.

      I think the biggest ethical problem is someone having this done for aesthetic reasons, regardless of who or what they will look like.

      --

      Brevity is the soul of wit

      -- Polonius

  4. Re:Jacko by raistlinjones · · Score: 1, Insightful

    And it's been said, repeatedly.

  5. Re:Jacko by Master+Bait · · Score: 3, Insightful

    With this new technology, Jacko can finally be a white woman (above the waist).

    --
    "Only in their dreams can men truly be free 'twas always thus, and always thus will be."
    --Tom Schulman
  6. There's not a whole lot of danger to this by Chastitina · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Facial transplants could help so many, from folks who've survived car accidents to (as mentioned in one article) cancer patients to kids with birth defects. The surgery at best would provide the image of a normal, healthy, whole face, which is how we get a lot of non-verbal information from people. It's not like there would be a strong resemblence to the deceased due to differences in not only bone struction, but also in habitual expressions and personality.

    There's really not much chance of any one person being able to "steal" another's family or life with this technology. The recipient would have to 1) have the same physical structure, 2) be one fantastic actor, and 3) manage to imitate body odor as well. While the third may seem trivial, there's a lot of research regarding pheromone-immune system links to mate selection. The transplanted party's significant others and pets would still recognize him or her via smell.

  7. Celebrities? by SanLouBlues · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They could lotto off their faces after they die! That'd be the charity benefit to top all charity benefits.

    As for biometrics, unless they change the underlying bone structure, shouldn't they still work (Other than skin color of course)?

  8. New spin on identity theft. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you can transplant a face, a full set of fingertips ought not to be much of a challenge.